Howdi-hi,
Cathy already provided a good answer to Tosh's specific question. So I'd
like to put forth a broader hypothesis (or perhaps just to flip one on its
head). Just by way of spinning off implications, to no particular point,
as my mind flows where it will.
I suspect all people "tend to use anecdotes to support their
arguments" Except for those who have been schooled in other methods of
argument. They are probably being normal/natural/whatever. Unless our
students have already learned academic/professional discourses, we are
asking them to do something that, for most human cultures, has been
abnormal, has NOT felt "natural." ["Natural" in this context obviously
means cultural--an interesting metaphor, eh?) Framing it this wayhelps me
feel better about what these students can't do, for it is not
"natural"--was it JIm Raymond whose textbook was titled, "Writing Is an
Unnatural Act"? Moreover, mythic anecdotes--e.g., Adam and Eve, see Tom
King's wonderfully wonderful story, "A Good Story This One)--are anecdotes
shared by a community. Mythic anecdotes "support arguments"--we deserve to
have to work hard for our livings, to suffer pain during labor, and so
forth (not to mention original sin or patriarchy).
In another and interesting sense, those who support their arguments with
anecdotes can be seen as following Aristotle, who says the rhetorical
equivalent of inductive argument is examples. Of course, anecdotes are
examples only if they exemplify whatever is being discussed. And these
writers probably do not demonstrate or even assert that their anecdotes are
exemplifying examples. When and how are anecdotes or other examples
accepted as "support" in professional discourses?
Why do we, writing teachers in a scientific society, indoctrinate students
in inductive empiricism? (We should, I think, but why?)
Well, you can see where this line of tho't goes. I'll stop.
Rick
>From: "Tosh" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Friday, November 02, 2001 10:08 PM
>Subject: Help: Quick References
>
>
>I should be doing something else on Friday night, but I'm not :(
>
>I'm looking for the reference for the article that looks at children as
>ethnographers. I think it's by Haas, but I need a little more information
>to locate it.
>
>Also, I remember reading that students from Alaska tend to use anecdotes to
>support their arguments. The same thing was reported true for Arabic
>students. Do you know where I might have come across this? I went through
>several articles by Kaplan, Dunlap, Connnor, etc., but I just can't find
>them.
>
>Thanks a lot.
>
>Tosh Tachino
>[log in to unmask]
>
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